Album reviews: Vampire Weekend, Trace Adkins, Demi Lovato

Almost halfway through Vampire Weekend's third album, frontman Ezra Koenig declares that "youngbloods can't be settling down" -- and the New York quartet certainly doesn't here. While previous albums "Vampire Weekend" and "Contra" were clever and brainy -- the Strokes by way of Paul Simon's "Graceland" -- "Modern Vampires of the City" goes light on the polyrhythms (they're still present in "Everlasting Arms") but adds more heart, soul and ambient spaciousness to the mix, combining arty ambition with playful passion. "Obvious Bicycle" starts things off with a hollow beat and light piano under a trick vocal arrangement, while "Unbelievers" takes VW back into the garage, with Rostam Batmanglij's organ in the driver's seat. The group's noisy side gets a fierce workout on "Diane Young" and the kinetic of "Finger Black" (with a spoken-word section set in Jerusalem) while the beat-crazy "Ya Hey" and "Worship You" make use of African-flavored vocalics and chorales, respectively. The takeaway from "Modern Vampires," however, is the sophisticated popcraft embodied in songs such as "Step," "Hudson" and the closing "Young Lion." This clearly isn't a band that plans to stay in one place very long, which over time may prove to be the greatest virtue of all.

ROCK: Pop Evil, "Onyx" (eOne): 2 1/2 Stars

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Pop Evil's time has been coming for a while, but the Grand Rapids hard rock group is in a new state of arrival on its fourth album. With the single "Trenches" already a Top 5 rock radio hit, the quintet has elevated its game on every level with this 12-track album -- from pithy songwriting to tight playing to dynamic, impactful production and even, yes, commerciality on chart-worthy songs such as "Beautiful," "Fly Away" and the power ballads "Torn To Pieces," "Silence & Scars" and "Behind Closed Doors." Fans of the heavier stuff, meanwhile, will gravitate toward "Deal With the Devil," "Sick Sense," "Divide" and the album-closing duo of "Welcome to Reality" and "Flawed," while the confluence of all these parts should lock Pop Evil into rock's big leagues this time around.

New & Noteworthy:

Trace Adkins, "Love Will ..." (Show Dog Universal): The deep-voiced country star is joined by Colbie Caillat, the Harlem Gospel Choir and members of Exile -- on a remake of "Kiss You All Over," of all things -- for his 11th studio album.

Boxer Rebellion, "Promises" (Absentee): The British indie rock quartet made its fourth album in Los Angeles with co-producer Billy Bush.

Will Calhoun, "Life in this World" (Motema Music): The Living Colour drummer embraces his jazz roots on this solo set, joined by luminaries such as Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Wallace Roney and others.

The Del Lords, "Elvis Club" (GB Music): Three of the hard-hitting New York group's founding members are back on board for the band's first new album in 23 years.

The Dillinger Escape Plan, "One of Us is the Killer" (Party Smasher/Sumerian): The New Jersey headbangers stay topical on their fifth album, even bellowing about "The Threat Posed by Nuclear Weapons."

Escape The Fate, "Ungrateful" (Eleven Seven): The Las Vegas metal troupe sports two new members on its fourth studio album.

George Strait, "Love is Everything" (MCA Nashville): The country legend rides into retirement (from touring, at least) with his 28th studio album, which ends, appropriately, with "When the Credits Roll."

Tea Leaf Green, "In the Wake" (Greenhouse): The San Francisco jam band taps into the wake of some personal tragedies on its most personal set of songs to date.

Scott Tournet, "Vera La Luz" (self-released): Grace Potter is a not-so-surprising guest on this solo debut by her Nocturals bandmate.

Steve Tyrell, "It's Magic: The Songs of Sammy Cahn" (Concord): The Texas-born vocalist pays tribute to one of the greatest figures in the Great American Songbook.

Gary Graff's work can also be found at www.goanddomichigan.com, www.twitter.com/GraffonMusic and in the Facebook group Gary Graff on Music, while his Classic Rock Insider reports appear at www.wcsx.com. Gary's latest book, "Rock & Roll Myths: The True Stories Behind the Most Infamous Legends" (Voyageur Press) is available now.